Those companies effectively act as dispatchers for independent drivers, connecting them with riders.

Some cities have questioned the legality of the companies. The number of taxicab licenses are typically tightly controlled by local governments. Earlier this year, the Seattle City Council approved tight caps on the number of drivers for Uber, Lyft and Sidecar who could be operating at any given time. However, last month the council reversed itself, removing the cap and agreeing to issue 200 more taxicab licenses.

Because Uber and similar companies are not traditional taxicab companies, they avoid many regulations and expenses.

Those regulations promise riders reliability and consistency, which Saytaxi can deliver with a few taps on a smartphone, Zang said.

Cab fares don’t fluctuate the way they can with those competitors, he said.

Saytaxi gets a cut of each fare picked up through its program.

Drivers who register with Saytaxi Washington have to agree to keep a clean cab and have a polite, professional demeanor, he said.

A union representing several hundred Seattle-area cabbies recently offered customer service training to members in response to the new competitors, according to a news report.

Zang right now is a one-man force and plans to use social media to spread Saytaxi’s brand in the region. He has experience in graphic and Web design and has been a small- business owner.

With an agreement with a local cab company almost a reality, Zang is confident about the future.

“I’m sure that one success will be built upon another and pretty soon, it’ll be an avalanche,” he said.